Question

How can cognitive restructuring be used to help anger-prone individuals gain control of their anger? What are several other strategies for keeping anger and hostility under control?

Answer 1

Cognitive restructuring refers to identifying irrational thoughts, feelings and emotions that makes one angry and help one overcome those thoughts by rationally analysing those thoughts and their consequences. One of the most important ways to do this is to help the person visualize the impact the person’s anger has caused in others and in oneself in terms of physical, psychological and emotional disturbances. This would mean that anger is good when it is for the rights cause but again it should be expressed in a more assertive way. Secondly, one should be helped to understand the fact that anger would not only affect the person who gets angry by losing on those whom one gets angry but also would harm the well being of others around one which would deteriorate one’s relationship with others. Thirdly, one has to made to understand that ego is the most important issue because ego would prevent one from accepting and respecting other people’s point of view thus, make one always feel that one is right and others are wrong. Finally, when one is angry, one may not be able to apply one’s reasoning skills and foresee the damage one would cause because it’s more impulsive. Taking time out when one gets angry would help one take a different approach.

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